Robert howe gould



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R. H. GOULD. SAFETY CONNECTION FORELECTRIG GONDUOTORS-.. No. 451,377.Patented Apr. 28, 1891.

I a Mm Mm? fiz 12068 6 E Gem (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. H. GOULD.

- SAFETY CONNECTION FOR ELEG'I'RIG OONDUGTORS.

No. 451,377. Patented Apr. 28,1891.

'IIYEJIIIIIIIIWIIIU UNITED STATES PATENT much.

ROBERT HOlVE GOULD, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

SAFETY CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,377, dated April28, 1891.

Application filed September 11, 1890. Serial No. 364,602. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT HOWE GOULD,

of the city of Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and ImprovedSafety Connections or Couplings for Electric Conductors, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings.

My invention relates toa safety connection or coupling for electricconductors, the object of said invention being to entirely interrupt theelectric current between two carriers, standards, or posts byautomatically interrupting or cutting out the connection between thesaid standards in case the wire should be broken or otherwise severed. Abroken wire serving to conduct strong electric currents can proveexcessively dangerous oreven fatal when the depending end comes incontact with living creatures, so as to short-circuit the current toearth through the body of the living creature thus touched.

I will here chiefly consider the danger to human beings as being themost important, and would mention that the accident in question canhappen in two difierent ways, viz: the broken end of the wire leadingfrom the source of electricity-dynamo-inachinein falling down comes incontact with a passer-by, and,

in addition to the injury caused by the sharp and whip-like recoil of athick metal wire or cable stretched at high tension, the whole currentwould pass through that part of the person so struck to earth. In thesecond case, the end of the broken wire which does not lead from thedynamo falls down, and being still attached to the post would actmechanicallyinthemannerbeforedescribed,butwould not do any mischiefthrough electrical shock. Now according to my invention the possibilityof transmitting current bycontact with the depending wire is entirelyprevented by the ends of the wire being automatically released fromtheir connections, so that the conductor is cut out for the entiredistance between two carriers or standards.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevationof two standardswith a wire stretched from one to the other, the broken wire fallen outof its connecting-clip being represented by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is atop view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation, and Fig. 4

a top view, of the automatic cut-out device in connection with aninsulator, drawn on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is an elevation of amodification in which the conducting-wires are connected toautomatically-detachable levers. Fig. 6 is a top view; Fig. 7, aperspective view of a part of the same. Fig. 8 is an elevation ofanothermodification, showing a different manner of forming theelectrical connection between the lever and the support. Figs. 9 and 10are detail views of modified forms of the cutting-knife which severs theelectrical connection.

The conductor a is, as customary with elec tric conductors, connected tothe insulators c 0. Should the conductor abreak or become severed, forinstance, at a, Figs. 1 and 2, the two halves of the same will bereleased from their connections d, which are attached in appropriatemanner to the insulators, for instance, by means of a suitably-formedclipd to d or other attachment.

The aforementioned clips consist, preterably, of two rails (Z d, bent inthe middle to correspond with the form of the insulator, and providednear the ends with an inclined slot d so as to form a kind of hook withthe open slot directed downward. Two rails (Z d are connected to eachother by screw-bolts d" and suitable distance-pieces (Z or in othersuitable manner. The inclines of the slots (1 run in opposite directionsto the strain on the conductor, which is attached to small spindles orrollers e, the journals e of which fit into the slots (Z of the rails (Zd; but it is not absolutely necessary that these spindles should beprovided with journals, as they may simply consist of short pieces ofcopper, sheathed rod-iron or the like, of requisite dimensions.

According to the accompanying drawings,

. the conductor is either passed through a boring in the spindles orrollers or is laid around the same, the ends being, as customary, coiledonto the wire. The tension on the conductor a will cause the journals ofthe spindles or rollers e to remain in snug contact with the slots (1 inthe rails of the clip, so that in consequence of the electricconnections through the conducting-rails d d the current can flowwithout hinderance through the conductor or wires. ll, however, a wireshould break or be severed from any cause, the tension on the wire wouldcease and the rollers or spindles 6 would fall by their own weight an dthe weight of the wire out of the slot (Z in the rails (l d of the clip,so that the current would be instantaneously interrupted for the entiredistance between the standards or posts I) b. There is another advantageconnected with this sudden cessation of tension in the broken wireendsviz., the dangerous and violent recoil is prevented. Thus my safetyconnection is useful foroverhead wires which merely conductcurrents oflow tension, such as telegraph and telephone wires, &c.

111 order that the automatically-released parts of the conductor fallingout of the connection or coupling and the rollerorconnecting pieces 6maybe prevented from falling to the ground and thus causinginjury, thesame can be loosely attached by means of wire or other suitablematerial-for instance, with the standard or carrierin such manner thatwhen the connecting pieces or rollers are freed from their grip with theclips or couplings and the conductor is interrupted forthe distancebetween the two standards or posts they will remain hanging to thelatter without being in connection with the other part of the service.

In Figs. 5 to '7 the conductors are not connceted immediately to therollers a; but the latter are provided with bent lever-ar is f, made ofone piece with or firmly soldered into the said rollers and pressingagainst a bolt, spindle, or rivet 72, which serves as a fulcrum for samenear the tip of the rails d d, and also tends to increase the conductingpower of the attachment. The conductor a is attached to the lowercnd ofthe said lever-arm f, so as to exercise considerable poweron the rollcrsfor pressing the same onto the surface of the slots d in the rails (Z (Zof the clip and producing a snug contact betwen the parts. Should it,however, be found desirable to furthersecure contact between thesesurfaces, small pieces of copper or other foil or fine sheet metal, or anecessary quantity of any suitable combination of quicksilver with othermetal amalgam, can be inserted between the surfaces of the roller andthe slots in the rails of the clip before fixing the parts.

Should it be found desirable to still further increase the conductingpower of my improved attachment, if after a time under climaticinfluences or by other reasons the surfaces of the slots (Z or journals6', or the rollers, should become oxidized, connectingwires can be used,as represented in Figs. 8 to 10, shown also by dotted lines in Figs. 5and 6, Fig. 8 being an elevation, while Figs. 9 and 10 represent twoforms of severing device for severing the auxiliary wires 7t.

As represented in the aforementioned figures, the rollers e are notconnected imn1ediately with the conductor; but are each provided with abent lever f, said lever carrying, when auxiliary wires are employed, asuitable cutter g forsevering the said wire or wires It In, and being atitslower end connected to the conductor a, and also to a helical springL, hxed at its opposite end to the posts, standards, or carrier. \Vhenthe parts are fixed in conducting positions, the conducting capacity ofthe device may, so long as the conductor 1s not broken or severed,always be preserved by auxiliary wires k 70, firmly soldered into therails (Z (1, their other ends being soldered to the roller 6, in orderthat the electric current can under no circumstances beimpeded. Theseauxiliary connecting-Wires 7.; 7;,1n case of a breakage or severing ofthe conductor a, would tend to hold the rollers e or journalse, fixed tothe lever f, in the slot (1 of the ra ls, thus maintaining the electricconnection with the broken parts of the conductor and frustrating theobject of my invention; but this s entirely avoided by the cutter q,lever f, and spring i, which operate as follows:

As soon as the conductor a is broken or severed from any cause thehelical spring '6 will draw the lever toward the post or carrier I),thus causing the cutter g to sever the wires 7; 7;, and thus releasingthe rollers e a, so that the same with the lever f can fall out of theslots in the rails (l (l' of the clip. The spring 1', being firmlyattached at one end to the post or carrier, at the other end to thelever f, will prevent the latter with the part of the conductor fromfalling to the ground, so as to cause injury to any one. As will be seenfrom Figs. 5 to 10, the slots (Z run in in opposite directions to thosein Figs. 1 to t in consequence of the employment of the leverf; but if,instead of the leverf being arranged to depend from the device, as shownin the drawings, the same is arranged in the opposite position, so as toextend beyond the said device, the slots will have to be correspondinglyreversed, or the lever can be provided with shorter depending arm withwhich the spring i would so gear that the longer arm would be caused toturn with the roller e away from the post before falling out of theslot.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with the support, as Z), aclip, a conductor, and a detachable connection between the conductor andclip, consistin g of the leverf and the roller attached thereto andengaging slots in the clip, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a support, as b, a clip connected thereto, alever f between the conductor and the clip detachably connected to thelatter,and a spring connected with the lever f, substantially asdescribed.

3. In combination, the posts, the slotted clips, the spindles in saidslots, the conducting-wire, the levers f, connecting the clips and thespindles with the ends of the wire, and a stop for holding the lovers inposition against the tension of the wire, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the posts, the clips having slots, the spindles inthe slots, the main In Witness whereof I have hereunto signedconducting' wire in connection with the clips my name in the presence oftwo subscribing I0 and spindles at its ends, the electricalconwitnesses. necting-wires extending from the spindles to V 1 T .1 formtheelectrical connection between the ROBERl E GOUID sections, and theknives for cutting said con- Witnesses: nection, operating when thespindles move, FRED. J. DOWNING,

substantially as described. I-I. DUKER.

